


written in the stars, written in our hearts

by marvelleous



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Actor/Author AU, Additional Tags to Be Added, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-16 23:00:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11262810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelleous/pseuds/marvelleous
Summary: Melinda has always lived life in the shadows, a simple and quiet existence with her daughter, far away from fame and fortune.Phil has always reached for the stars, never losing hope of one day catching his big break.She would brave the cameras and tabloids for him, and he would gladly give it all up for her, but sometimes even that isn't enough for a romance to survive in Hollywood.





	written in the stars, written in our hearts

Phil has been a dreamer his entire life.

As a kid, he spent days and nights picturing what his life might turn out to be, on the big screen in a hundred different roles, scenes, times and worlds. He imagined the bringing each character to life, slipping into a new and exciting persona, and for a moment, just slipping out of his own shell, being someone other than himself.

Even now, at the not so tender age of forty one, he still hopes to make his big break, play a role that he truly connects with. These fantasies haven’t faded with time; even twenty harsh years in the industry couldn’t deter him from chasing after his childhood dreams.

He is more realistic now, knows there are limitations in place for people like him; they’ve had him playing the friendly neighbour and dorky father characters since the day he hit thirty, and things haven’t changed since. It’s not enough to keep him from wishing, from trying.

Phil knows that he’s lucky to have survived this long - he’s had so many friends come and go, being washed out in the blink of an eye, others rising to the top only to make a graceless fall within the year. It’s a tough path, this one he’s chosen, but at the end of the day, he’s still here. He has his own apartment, is living comfortably in an expensive city, infrequent roles in small time productions several times a year, enough to support his lifestyle.

He isn’t a star, but he’s made it.

 

* * *

 

Melinda had dreams once.

In her early teenage years she had wanted to be an Olympic athlete, until realising her physical limitations, and had quickly dropped those goals in pursuit of others. She spent several years following in her mother’s footsteps, thinking that working in the film industry, becoming a screenwriter, director, producer, might make her happy at the end of the day.

Her years on set left her with only trauma, and a rocky marriage that eventually crumbled, ending in a horrible divorce.

She stopped chasing her dreams, channeled those thoughts elsewhere, began doing something that didn’t leave her happy, but kept her whole, kept her sane. The stories and characters that once plagued her mind were turned into words on paper, and her nightmares grew less frightening, less frequent.

Her self imposed solitude only increased.

It took years but she found peace, she found purpose. She built herself a new life out of the fragments of the old, and has tried her best since to never look back. Nostalgia was fine, but there was no sense dwelling on what she could not change, the things that she could not have.

She was never a dreamer, not like others, but she was a believer.

Fate isn’t how she wants to describe it, but even as an author, she couldn’t find any other words.

 

* * *

 

**November 21, 1995**

 

Melinda is twenty years old the first time she walks onto one of her mother’s sets as anything other than the “director’s daughter”. She’s an intern, a lackey, and no one treats her any differently.

It’s all she’s ever wanted.

She does menial chores for anyone and everyone who asks, rushing around coffee, lunch, scripts and props, eager to help out, to have a role in the process. Everyone around her is busy; they have their own tasks to carry out, and she feels like a part of the crew, a part of the team. They mostly ignore her, and she’s happy to be in the shadows.

The spotlight has never called to her like it did for some.

She stands by the sidelines when she isn’t needed, and it is on her first day, well into the afternoon, when someone steps up beside her, and speaks to her for the first time with no motives.

“Hey, how’s the view from over here?”

There’s a guy standing next to her; young, likely not too much older than she, and despite the relaxed smile and kind eyes, she sees the tension in his shoulders, how his hands are balled into fists by his side.

“Not too bad,” she responds after a moment of thought, her gaze trained only on him. He wasn’t the type her mother would describe as conventionally handsome, but his smile alone was endearing to her.

She isn’t great at holding conversations, and is grateful when he asks her another question, breaking the silence once more.

“What do you do around here?”

She smirks.

“Fetch coffee mostly.”

The dryness in her tone isn’t enough to throw him, because he only smiles more, tilting his head to one side to study her closer.

“What do you want to do?”

Melinda closes her eyes for a moment, drawing in a deep breath and releasing it silently. It’s a question she’s always found difficult to answer, but she can already taste the words at the tip of her tongue. Somehow this stranger has managed to coerce it from her mind.

“Tell a story.”

She doesn’t continue any further than that, because there’s not much more for her to say. When he speaks once more, she stays and listens.

“I want the same. I’m a little nervous actually. Today is my first day on a real production. I have one line, and I don’t want to ruin it by doing something stupid.”

He chuckles, and she finds herself smiling too. They were in the same boat, both newcomers, both with hopes, and both with fears.

“You’ll be a star in no time,” she tells him, not truly believing her own words, just saying what she thinks he needs to hear in this moment. If the world were just, more people like him would succeed, but she knows that life is cruel, even now, young and undamaged.

He beams, and she can see the twinkle in his eye, a smile made for movie posters, but this one is genuine, an expression of uncontained joy.

“I like to believe that. And I’m sure that one day, the whole world will gather around to hear your story. Just remember to save me a front row seat.”

She laughs at that, a warmth spreading through her chest that is unfamiliar, but she isn’t averse to the feeling. Only one day here and she’s already found someone that she connects with; she chooses to take it as a sign that both their futures may be brighter from today.

Melinda never gets a chance to ask any more questions, to exchange another word with him. She hears a name being called and then he’s off to chase his dreams. He does turn to wave goodbye, and it’s a memory she captures and vows to remember.

 _Phil Coulson_ , she thinks.

His name would be one she could never forget.

 

* * *

 

  


**Author's Note:**

> I have been working on this story idea for close to two years now, and I'm hesitant to share it. It is mostly Phil/Melinda + Philindaisy, with appearances from most marvel characters, and as always, I super appreciate any feedback you guys leave me! This is just the prologue, so if you are interested in seeing more, please let me know :)


End file.
